Door mechanism for railway cars



L A m E m w E w DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 26. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet IIII II] IlMllllr 1| IIMHI IH IH arch E8, 1930. w. E. WINE ET L DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 26. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 18, 1930. w. E; WINE ETAL 7 1,751,183

DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 26. 1926 4 .heet s-Sheet s March 18, 1930. w. E. WINE ET AL I DOQR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 26. 1926 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. WINE, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, AND BYERS W. KADEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND DOOR MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY CARS Application filed May 26,

. This invention relates to door mechanism for railway freight cars having hinged doors 7 adapted to swing open so as to allow the lading of the car to be discharged by gravity. While the invention is especially suitable for application to hopper cars it may of course be advantageously applied to ondola cars having hinged doors for guar ing the discharge openings thereof.

The principal object of the invention is to afford a simple and rugged mechanism for reliably retaining a dump door of a car in closed position. A further object is to provide convenient, safe and effective means for causing the door to assume fully closed position and for releasing it to permit it to open.

A principal feature of the invention resides in pivotally mountin upon the car a door supporting hook, and in associating therewith a cooperating door arm carried by the hinged door, the door being provided with a door spreader or stiffener and the said door arm and stiffener being constructed and combined in a manner permitting the said stiffener to be positioned well toward the lower edge of'the door.

A. further feature consists in terminating the projecting end ofthe door arm in two inclined planes, thus enabling the said arm to be kept within the car clearance limits and yet to occupy a position comparatively near the lower or free edge of the door. Still another feature consists in forming the door arm as a member having reversely directed channel sections, one of which overlaps the door and the other cooperates with the door supporting hook. A further feature resides in the provision of means for actuating the door supporting hook to permit the door to swing open.

There are still further features of the invention residing in particular constructions and advantageous relations of parts which will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a hopper car embody- 1926. Serial No. 111,741.

ing the door mechanism involving the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.-

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33, Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a detail view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, illustrating a portion of the construction.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a detail side elevational view of the preferred form of filler casting which is interposed between the car body and the door supporting hook.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the filler member shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a detail side elevational view of the bracket member to which the door supporting hook is pivoted.

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 99, Fig. 8.

Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 are detail views of the door arm in plan, side elevation, rear end elevation and front end elevation, respectively.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion 0 a hopper car showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 15 is a sectional view on the line 15-15, Fig. 14.

Figure 16 is a View corresponding to Fig. 14, but illustrating another modified form of the invention.

The cars illustrated in the drawings are of the well known type embodying hoppers whose discharge openings are closed by hinged doors. The sloping side wall or sheet of the hopper is indicated by the reference numeral 1, while 2 indicates the door, the latter being hinged to the car body as usual so as to swing to open position under the influence of gravity. Along the edge of its discharge opening the hopper is preferably provided with a flanged or offset portion affording a door seat 3 and a sealing flange 4, said structural features preferably being embodied in an angular reinforcing member 5 which is riveted to the bottom or slope sheet 6 of the hopper and the side sheet 1 thereof. When formed as a separate part the reinforcing member 5 may be and preferably is fashioned from commercial angle iron suitably bent to provide the sealing flange 4.

Pivotally mounted on the side sheet 1 of the car body by means of a rivet 7 is a door locking member preferably in the form of a hook 8 having a plurality of ledges 9 and 10, respectively, the former cooperating with the flange ll of the door arm 12 to maintain the door in fully closed position and the latter serving when in engagement with said flange 11 to support the door in partially closed position. When the side of the hopper is offset along the edge of the lading discharge opening the pivoted hook is preferably spaced outwardly from the side sheet 1 by means of a bracket or filler member 13 having rivet receiving thimbles or lugs 14, 15 and 16, respectively, which bear at their inner ends against the neighboring side sheet of the hopper. Adjacent the top and bottom rivet lugs 15 and 16, the filler may advantageously be fashioned with bosses or projections 17 and 18, respectively, which are adapted to engage the outwardly extending portion of the angular reinforcing member 5 bordering the discharge opening of the hopper. By bearing against the offset portion of the car hopper the bosses 17 and 18'provide abutments for taking the shear forces from the adjacent rivets at the upper side structure. In practice slight theoretical clearance may be provided between the bosses 17 and 18 and the outwardly offset part of the reinforcing or sealing angle 5 in order to allow for some variation in assembly, but actual contact of these bosses with the adjacent offset shoulder of the hopper will result, if there be any movement of the rivets in their holes or should the parts run slightly over size. The filler casting 13 may also advantageously be provided intermediate of the upper and lower rivet openings with a depressed portion or zone 19 provided with a rivet perforation 20. 'By this means, and without interfering with the operation of the hook 8, the filler 13 may be held in place by an additional rivet passing through the angular reinforcing member 5 and the side sheet 1.

Overlying the hook 8 is a bracket 21 secured to the filler casting 13 and to the car body by means of rivets 7, 22, 23 and 24, the rivet 7 being the pivot for the hook 8 and the rivet 22 serving as a pivot for a cam or dog 25 which is employed to lock the hook in door supporting position. Formed integral with the bracket 21 and projecting from the outer face thereof is a pry barv fulcrum 26 which is adapted to cooperate with a removable lever for actuating the door. This fulcrum, as shown, preferably is in the form of a loop or eye through which a pry bar may be inserted so as to bring its lower end into engagement with the outer end of the door arm 12. Constructing the fulcrum for the lever as a loop or perforated lug is advantageous in that it permits of ready application to the door of power either to force the door to completely closed position or to swing it open in the event it is frozen or jammed in closed position. The bracket 21 is also preferably provided at a point adjacent the arm of the hook 8 with an aperture 27 bordered by an outstanding marginal flange 28. This construction, as will be readily understood, permits a bar to be inserted beneath the hook to pry it upward to unlocked position, thereby releasing the door. Means of this character for the purpose of forcing the hook 8 to door releasing position are particularly advantageous for the opening movement of the door has no eflect upon the pry bar, and therefore the workman is freed of the danger of being injured by a sudden movement of the bar as the door swings open.

Secured to the outer face of the door adjacent the lower free edge thereof is a stiffening member or spreader 29 which preferably is in the form of a Z-bar having its inner or door contacting flange 30 extending upward and its outer flange 31 extending downwardly. The door stiffener is secured to the door 2 by rivets 32 passing through the upper flange of the Z-bar.

The door arm 12 extends between the door and the lower flange 31 of the door stiffener, being secured to the web 33 of the latter by rivets 34 and to the door plate by rivets 35. The door arm 12 may advantageously be fashioned as a casting of reversed channel form, having a bent web 36 and flanges 11, 37, 38 and 39, respectively, projecting therefrom, the flanges 11 and 37 being at the outer end of the door arm and extending upwardly from the web 36 and the flanges 38 and 39 being at the inner end of the door arm and extending downwardly. The inner end of the web 36, which if desired may be provided with rivet bosses 40, is disposed parallel to and in contact with the outwardly projecting web portion 33 of the door spreader. Intermediate its ends the web 36 is diverted or angled downwardly from its upper plane, as indicated at 41, then extends outwardly in a lower plane, as indicated at 42, and preferably then angles upwardly at the outer end of the door arm to form an end wall 43 of the latter, tying the flanges 11 and 37 lowered position comparatively near the free edge of the door, while at the same time permitting the mechanism to be kept well within the car clearance limits, as indicated in Fig. 2 by the clearance limit line 46. It will be observed that the construction of the door arm affords a hook engaging flange or seat 11 which is positioned so that the pressure of the hook 8 against the door arm 12 acts substantially in the neutral axis of the Z bar reinforcing member 29 to which the door arm is riveted, thus preventing the development of torsional moments in said arm and thereby subjecting the connecting rivets 34 practically to shearing strains only.

To avoid impairing the strength or unduly increasing the size of the door arm 12, while yet permitting the reinforcing member 2a to reach to a point near the side edge of the door and to overlap the door arm 12 for an advantageously long distance, the downwardly extending flange 31 of the door spreader is preferably cut away at the outer end of the latter so as to allow the web 36 of the door arm to be gradually diverted away from the plane of the door.

The modified form of construction illustrated in Fi s. 14 and 15 is the same as that heretofore escribed except that a slightly different form of means is employed for enabling the pivoted locking hook to be moved to door releasing position. In this form of the invention the hook is fashioned upon its outer side with a projecting portion or flange 47 beneath which a removable pry bar 50 (see Fig. 15) may be inserted, while the pivot bracket 48 for the hook is provided with a seat or fulcrum for the bar. This seat or rest for the bar may be conveniently formed as a depression 49 in the upper outer edge of the loop 26 which serves as a fulcrum to permit the employment of a removable lever for actuating the door. To avoid the necessity of making hooks of different pattern for the opposite sides of the car, the book may be provided with oppositely extending flange portions 47, as shown. The remaining features of construction of this form of the invention being identical with those heretofore described, are indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

The modified construction shown in Fig. 16 differs from that disclosed in Figs. 14 and 15 only by the omission of the lugs or flanges -17 and the provision in lieu thereof of an opening 51 in the web of the hook to receive the pry bar for moving the hook to released position. By inserting the end of the pry bar in the opening 51 and resting it upon the seat or purchase point 49, the hook may be raised, as will be readily understood. The remaining details of construction are identical with those heretofore described and are therefore indicated by corresponding reference numerals.

We claim 1. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a hopper provided with an offset portion adjacent its discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the discharge opening of said hopper, and means operatively interposed between the car body and the door for retaining the latter in closed position, said means including an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the hopper, a pivoted hook for cooperating with said arm, and means for mounting the hook upon the car body, said last named means including a filler interposed between the hook and the side of the hopper and engaging the said offset portion of the hopper, for transmitting directly to the latter a portion of the force imparted to the hook when supporting the door in closed position.

2. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a hopper formed with an offset portion adjacent its discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the discharge opening of said hopper, a pivoted hook mounted on the hopper, an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the hopper, said hook and arm being adapted to cooperate for retaining the door in closed position, and a filler interposed between said hook and the side of the hopper and rigidly secured to the latter, the hook being pivotally secured to the filler and the latter being provided with projections adapted to engage the said offset portion of the hopper, for transmitting directly to the latter a portion of the force imparted to the hook when supporting the door in closed position.

3. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening and provided with an offset portion adjacent said opening, of a hinged door for closing the discharge opening, means for retaining the door in closed position involving an arm secured to the door and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body and adapted to cooperate with said arm, and a filler interposed between the hook and the car body and serving to transmit to the car body the load interposed upon the hook, said filler being provided with projections for engaging the said offset portion of the car body, for transmitting directly to the latter a portion of the force imparted to the book when supporting the door in closed position.

4. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening and provided with an outwardly offset portion adjacent the opening, of a hinged door for closing the discharge opening, a hook pivotally mounted upon the car body, means carried by the door for cooperating with the hook to retain the door in closed position, and a filler interposed be tween the hook and the car body and rigidly secured to the latter, said book being pivotally mounted upon said filler and the latter being provided with a depressed rivet seat and having a plurality of projections for engaging the said offset portion.

5. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, a locking member movably mount ed on the car body, a door stiffener formed with a web and having flanges projecting from the opposite sides thereof, one of the flanges extending from the web toward the hinge axis of the door and the other extending from the web toward the free edge of the door and being spaced outwardly from the plane of the door, and a door arm adapted to be engaged by the locking member to retain the door in closed position, said door arm being of angular form and having a portion secured to the underside of the web of the stiffener and a flange secured to the outer face of the door.

6. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, a hook pivotally mounted 011 the car body, a flanged stiifener secured tothc outer face of the door adjacent the free edge of the latter, and a door arm overlapping the stifl'ener and secured thereto, said door arm being provided at a point outwardly of the adjacent end of the stiffener with a portion substantially normal to the door and a flange projecting upwardly from the latter adjacent its inner edge to form a seat for cooperating with said hook to maintain the door in closed position, the seat being positioned so that the pressure of the hook against the door arm acts substantially in the neutral axis of the stiffener, thereby minimizing torsional strains in the latter.

7 In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening,- of a hinged door for closing said opening, a door stiffener secured to the door and formed as a Z-bar having one flange contacting with the door and extending from the web of the bar toward the hinge axis of the door and its other flange spaced away from the plane of the door, a door arm secured to said stiffener in interposed relation to the door and the last named flange of the Z-bar, said door arm having a plurality of angularly disposed portions, one of said portions being secured to the web of the stiffener and the other being secured to the door, said last named portion projecting beyond a side edge of the door, and a locking member movably mounted on the car body and adapted to engage the projecting portion of the 'door arm to maintain the door in closed position.

8. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, a hinged door for closing the opening, a door arm secured to the door, and a hook pivotally mounted upon the car body for cooperating with the arm to maintain the door in closed position, the door arm being formed at its outer end with a plurality of upwardly projecting flanges and an end wall connectin said flanges, the lower portion of said wall being inclined downwardly and inwardly.

9. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, and means for maintaining the door in closed position, said means involving a hook pivotally mounted on the car body, and a door arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the car and adapted to cooperate with the hook, the outer end of the arm being beveled in a plurality of intersecting inclined planes.

10. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, and means for retaining the door in closed position, said means including an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond an adjacent edge of the latter, and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body for cooperative engagement with the arm, said arm being formed with a web having portions in different planes and being provided with a plurality of flanges extending on opposite sides of the web,

11. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, a door arm carried by the door and projecting outwardly beyond an edge of the latter, and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body for engaging the arm to prevent opening movement of the door, the door arm being formed with reversely disposed channel sections.

12. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, and means for retaining the latter in closed position, said means including an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the car body, and a hook pivotally mounted onthe car body for cooperating with the arm, the latter being formed with a bent web and having a plurality of flanges between which said web intervenes.

13. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, a door arm secured to the door, and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body for cooperating with said arm to maintain the door in closed position, the arm being formed with a web and having on opposite sides of the latter a plurality of flanges which, together with the web, form channel sections, pine 12f said flanges constituting a. seat for the 14. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, and means for retaining the door in closed position, said means including an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the car body, and a pivoted hook for cooperating with the arm, said arm being formed with a bent web and having flanges united thereto and forming therewith oppositely opening channels, and sald web being continuous to the outer end of said arm to form the end wall of the latter.

15. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening. of a hinged door for closing the opening, and means for retaining the door in closed position, said means including an arm secured to the door and projectingoutwardly beyond the side of the car, and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body for cooperating with the arm, the latter being formed with a bent web and having at its outer end a plurality of spaced flanges of unequal height extending from the same side of said web, the flange of greater height constituting a seat adapted to be engaged by said hook.

16. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, a door stiffener secured to the door adjacent the free edge thereof, a door arm secured to the door stiffener and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the car body, and a hook pivotally mounted on the car body for cooperating with said arm to maintain the door in closed position, said arm having a bent web provided with a portion adapted to contact and be secured to the door stiflener and having flanges on opposite sides of the web, one of the flanges forming a seat for said hook.

17. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a hopper, of a hinged door for closing the discharge opening of the hopper, a stifl'ener securedto the door adjacent the free edge thereof, said stiffener being formed as a Z bar having its lower flange spaced from the plane of the door, a door arm overlapping said door and secured to the stifl'ener, and a pivoted hook carried by the car body for cooperating with the door arm to prevent opening movement of the door, said door arm being provided with a bent web having a portion overlapping the web of the Z-bar, and said door arm being provided with flanges extending in opposite directions from its web. one of the flanges forming a seat for said hook.

18. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening. an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the car, a hook for cooperating with said door arm to retain the door in closed position, and a bracket on which the hook is pivotally mounted, said door arm being provided at its outer end with a plurality of spaced flanges extending toward the hinge axis of the door, one of the flanges being adapted to form a seat for the hook, and said bracket being secured to the car body and provided with fulcrum means for cooperating with a removable lever to permit the latter to engage one of the flanges to effect a closing movement of the door and to engage the other of said flanges to pry the door open.

19. In car door mechanism,'the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening, a bracket secured to the car body, a hook pivoted upon said bracket, an arm secured to the door and projecting outwardly beyond the side of the car body, said hook being adapted to engage the arm to retain the door in closed position, and said bracket being provided with a fulcrum for cooperating with a removable lever so as to permit the latter when resting on said fulcrum to extend under a portion of said hook for the purpose of prying the hook to door releasing position.

20. In car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, of a hinged door for closing the opening. a bracket secured to the car body, a hook pivotally mounted on the bracket. and means carried by the door for cooperating with the hook to maintain the door in closed position, said bracket being provided with an opening permitting a removable lever to extend under a portion of the hook so as to effect a door releasing movement of the latter.

21. In car door mechanism, the combination with the car body having a lading discharge opening. a hinged door for closing the opening, a member movably mounted on the car body, a flanged stiflening member secured to the outer face of the door. and a door arm secured to the stiflener and having a plurality of angularly shaped portions. one of said portions having a downwardly projecting flange secured to the door and the other having an upwardly projecting flange aflording a seat for cooperating with the movable memher to support the door in closed position.

22. In car door mechanism. the combination with the car body having a lading discharge opening. a hinged door for closing the opening, a member movably mounted on the car body, a flanged stiflening member secured to the outer face of the door and having a portion substantially normal thereto, and a door arm having a portion secured to the underside of the normal portion of the stiffener and a portion overlappingly secured to the door, said arm being provided at a po1nt outwardly of the adjacent end of the stiffener with a seat for cooperating with said movable member to support the door in closed position, the seat being positioned so that the pressure of the movable member against the door arm acts substantially in the neutral axis of the stiffener thereby minimizing torsional strains in the latter.

23. In car door mechanism, the combination with the car body having a lading discharge opening, a hinged door for closing the opening, a member movably mounted on the car body, a door stiffener formed with a Web and having flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof, one of the flanges extending from the web toward the hinge axis of the door and the other extending from the Web toward the free edge of the door and being spaced outwardly from the plane of the door, and an arm mounted upon the door, said arm being provided with portions respectively secured to the underside of the web of the stiflener and to the outer face of the door, saidarm being also provided with a seat for cooperating with said movable member to maintain the door in closed position, the seat being positioned so that the pressure of the hook against the door arm acts substantially in the neutral axis of the stiflener thereby minimizing torsional strains in the latter.

24. In car door mechanism, the combination with the car body having a lading dis charge opening, a hinged door for closing the opening, a member movably mounted on the car body, a flanged stiffening member secured to the outer face of the door, and a door arm overlapping the stiffener and secured thereto, said door arm being formed adjacent its outer end with a Web and a plurality of spaced upwardly projecting flanges, one of said flanges affording a seat for the movable member to maintain the door in closed position.

25. In a car door mechanism, the combination with a car body having a lading discharge opening, a hinged door for closing the opening, a bracket secured to the car body, a member movably mounted on the bracket, and means carried by the door for cooperating withthe member to support the door in closed position, said bracket being provided with an aperture for receiving a removable lever adapted to engage said movable member to force the latter from doorsupporting position.

26. In a car door mechanism, the combina tion with a car body having a lading discharge opening, a hinged door for closing the opening, a member movably mounted on the car body, a bracket secured to the car body having a portion overlapping the outer face of said member, and means carried by the door for cooperating with the member to support the'door in closed position, the said portion. of the bracket being provided with an aperture forming a fulcrum for a removable lever adapted to cooperate with the said movable member to force the latter from doora supporting position.

In testimony whereof weaflix our signa- 

